Tracklaying device



March 14, 1933. F. A. sTRElcH TRACKLAYING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Shea*l l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY U ..5 I) .A K) a., www. w., all .xn/l.. use. ,/f/V .v l. P., C l

Mar-eh M, 1933, F, A. STRERCH TRACKLAYING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1930 2 Sheets--Shee'rI 2 Egf INVENTo/R.

'I JUL ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 FREDERICK A. Swanton, yorV osHxosH, WISCONSIN, Assiauoa To A. Sramana; BRO. f

COMPANY, oF osHxosH, wisconsin, A ,Conroe-Arron or wrsooNsIN PATENT FFHCE Y TRACKLAYING" :DEVICE 'Appiictiqn inea `January, e. 1930.Y serial No. 418,949.

' y invention` relates to track laying devices. 'Y

improvements in It is one of the objects this-.invention Ato provide an improvedV track laying device which presents .a rigid surface tothe ground and Vwhich provides lfor Ya high ldegreeof flexibility :in the folding motion of-'the ,assembly as .the trackwtravels around` the wheels;

providey a track laying device which is so constructed as to clear itselfV of dirt with great rapidity. Y 'j VA further object of 4this invention is to provide a device Vofthe class described in which the shoes forming the band are so designed that the band is perfectly trussed to provide a rigid ground engaging surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved track laying device having adjustable means for taking up slack in the band.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved track laying device which is strong and durable and well adapted for the purpose described. Y

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved track laying device and all its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the improved track laying device, one of the wheel sections being removed;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 Vof Fig. 1;

to a vehicle. 4cylir'idrical as at 11, and each cylindrical portion has outwardly flanged ends 12 formed A` further object of this invention' is toV rhereinafter described.

designates an elongated' supporting member having-a central' opening 10 for connectlon Each end of the member 9 is with a plurality of threaded perforations 13 f therein.l Positioned adjacent each end of each cylindrical portion is a plate 14, the said platehaving a 4bore 15 therein and having an annular shoulder 16 which fits 'within the i' endy ofthe cylindrical member `11. The an- 6G nular shoulder varies in width, andthe bore 15 of the plate is concentric with the inner periphery. of said shoulder but eccentric to Jdie outer periphery thereof. The plate 114 has a plurality of perforations 17 arranged in a circle which is eccentric with respect to the bore 15. The plate is secured to the end of' the cylindrical portion 11 by bolts 18 which extend through the perforations 171 ofthe plate and through the perforations 13 of the adjacent outwardly flanged portion 12. Byremoving the bolts 18 rand by shift-V ing the position ofthe plate 14, the bore 15 of said plate may be' moved from one side r to theother of the center of the cylindrical portion 11 for a purpose of adjustment to be An axle 19 extends through each cylindricalmember andV through the bores 15 of 22 are shrunk in place on the peripheries of '85 said wheels. i j

An endless track or band 23 extends around the wheels as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.A The said band comprises a plurality of shoes 24 Vwhich are formed andsecured together ina o` novel manner. Eachr shoe has a base portion 25 formed along one side with perforated hinge extensions 26 and along its opposite side with complementaryl'hinge extensions 27.

Pins 28 connect the hinge extensions of one 95 shoe withthose of the adjacent shoe. The upper surface of leach shoe is formed with apair of spaced` apart upright-members `29:braced by outwardly curved portionsy 30.

Pins. 31 and 32' extend betweenthe upright 1F00 members 'to tilt toward one another.

-due to the novel link construction', the travel gular position and to the plurality of .connec.

tions with each shoe, the band is perfectly trussed, thus assuring a rigid ground engag-V in@r surface. Y Y

n use of the device, as lthe band travels around the wheels, the shoes pivot with respec't to one another on the pins 28,V and the Vslots -34 and 3610i the links permit sliding movement of the latter on thepins 31, thus allowing the upper portions of the upright Thus,

of the track around the wheels and the straightening out of the band when it leaves lthe wheels is accomplished without jerking, and there is therefore little strain upon the parts. The upright portions Vof the shoes are so constructed that they form guards for the wheels, and the 'curved portions 30 serve to clear the wheels of dirt.

Inasmuch as it is desired to maintain the band in a tight. condition on the wheels, so as to always have arigid ground engaging portion, the eccentric bearing housing has modate said three links therebetween, said links forming a substantial truss in two directions to prevent inward arcing of the band and the multiplicity of links spreading the trussing effect over a substantial portion of the width of each shoe to preven-tedgewise ytiltingofthe.bf'tnd 4 e g 2. In a track laying device having a longitudinal support, having a pair of spaced apart wheels rotatably mounted on eachend of the support, and having a' plurality of shoes pivotally connected together to form ank endless band extending around the pairs of wheels, said shoes each having side edges overlapping the peripheries of the wheels;

.spaced apart upright .portions in .connection with each shoe, pins extending between said vupright portions, links connecting .the pins of adjacent shoes, and braces in `connection and curving outwardly to a spaced position therefrom and-being .there connected to a'shoe, said braces and upright portions fitting between the pairs of wheels, and the outward-ly curved .portions of the braces being positioned FREDERICK A. STREICH, j

been provided. If, through wear, the band l becomes'slack, the bolts 18 in the plate 14 Amay 'be removed, and the latter given `a half turn. Because of the eccentric construction of this plate, the half turn adjustment will bring the axles 19 farther apart and will thus take up considerable slack in the band. A further adjustment may be made by replacing the "tires 22 as the latter become worn.

i Although only lone form of the invention has been Vshown and described, it is not desired to be limited to the exact showing, as the broad concept of the invention contemplates vall changes and modifica-tions as may come 'within :the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

l. `In a track laying device, an endless band comprising a plurality of shoes pivotally connected together, each of said shoes having va pair of upright portions therein, upper and lower pins extending between said upright portions, a pair of spaced-apart links connecting the upper pin of one shoe with the lower pin of an adjacent shoe on one side, and a link between said spaced-apart links connecting said upper pin with the lower pin of the adjacent shoe on the other side, Vsaid links being slidableon one ofsaid pins, and said upright portions of-each shoe lbeing spaced apart asuiicient distance `to vaccomwiththe outer sides ofthe upright Aportions @.85

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